Mindy's Crush
by AlisonLydon
Summary: Alternative Universe: Mindy has a crush. Please read and review.
1. Who Would Have Ever Thought?

**Mindy's Crush**

**A Drake & Josh fan-fic **

**A short story by Alison Lydon**

**Lead characters:**

**Drake Parker & Josh Nichols**

**Please note this is an Alternative Universe piece as I **

**don't think Drake would ever fall for Mindy Crenshaw and **

**vice-versa.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters. No copyright infringement is **

**intended.**

**Chapter 1**

**Who Would Have Ever Thought?**

She might have always been crazy, but she always knew what she was doing. Mindy

Crenshaw sat on the dirty rose colored old sofa and opened her backpack and took out

her compact and her handy-dandy tube of apricot scented lip-gloss. They all went to

Belleview High School together so why is it that she arrived here first?

_Boys._

"What are you doing here, Creature?" Enter Drake throwing his faded Army green

backpack by the door.

"Nice to you see you, Drake. Your backpack seems so light. Do you ever bring home

any books?"

"You didn't answer my question. Why are you here? You know Josh is working at the

Premiere tonight until eight o'clock."

"He is? I didn't see him much today. He forgot to tell me."

"Okay—bye-bye." Drake went to get his red Fender strat that he left on Josh's bed this

morning.

"Do you always have to be so mean?"

"With you? Yeah, I do."

Mindy snickered as she slung her backpack over her shoulder. She knew from

overhearing schoolgirls lav pre-home room chatter that Amber Fisher was going to call

Drake as soon as she arrived at work at Burger King. Her screaming clique urged her

to do so because Drake was "hot", "popular", and drove a "cool car". It was an

awesome navy blue early '90s Corvette that Walter and Audrey surprised him with on

his 17th birthday.

"It wouldn't kill you to learn some manners Drake."

"Are you still here?" Drake rolled his eyes as Mindy finally got to the door.

Drake and Josh's phone rang as Mindy took her sweet time turning the knob.

"Hey. Yeah, I know who you are. You are in my history class. I stare at the back of your

_blonde_ head," and gazed up her legs to her various mini skirts, but he couldn't exactly

repeat that to her. "Sure. We can meet at the Premiere. My brother works there. I can

see the movies for free."

Mindy finally made her way outside and pressed her back against the door to catch her

breath.

It was the oldest cliché in the world. She was going out with one brother and secretly

lusted over the one she hated. Who also hated her. It's not that Mindy hated Josh. After

their rivalry toned down he turned out to be a pretty decent guy. But it was Drake with his

rock star ready good looks and indifference to school was what made her weak in the

knees.

Jesus Christ, she broke into his locker and stole his jacket and put it into Hafer's car last

year to frame him, because Drake Parker was the one she _really_ liked. There may have

been an easier way around that, but Mindy Crenshaw was always one card short of a full

deck and she liked it that way. It allowed her to have a unique worldview. She didn't

want to hurt Josh though and Josh would be hurt, but first things first, Mindy thought as

she exited the Nichols-Parker home, she had to see if somewhere deep down that

Drake shared those feelings. She needed to stop at the Zippy Mart to get herself a

grape juice because her mouth was incredibly dry and thirsty.

Maybe just maybe Drake felt the same way.

Author's Note: The Thursday's Tears trilogy has not been forgotten. Infact, I have several

set in the future chapters written but nothing that pertains to the end of Four Seasons. I

just needed a break and what better than some Alternative Universe Drake and Mindy

fun?


	2. Stolen

**Chapter 2 **

**Stolen **

**Next day **

Drake was tearing apart the contents of his top dresser drawer when Josh walked in

holding a can of Mocha Cola.

"Drake, are you looking for something?"

"Boy, nothing gets by you."

"So what's missing? Maybe Megan took it."

The arrows always pointed to their 'evil' little sister in these situations.

"Why would Megan want my Zero Gravity photo album?"

It wasn't just any photo album. There were pictures of him when he played at with them

at the San Diego Mega Dome. Drake was never so happy over Josh's clumsiness.

In the back of the album was his ticket stub that he won off the radio and his backstage

passes. One from the radio station that would allow him to go the designated party area

to meet the band backstage and the other pass that overrode the previous one that was

from the Zero Gravity camp.

"To be a little demon and take it for her own amusement. You should check her room,

bro."

Drake stood up and was about to do just what his brother suggested.

"I DON'T HAVE YOUR STUPID BOOK!" Megan's voice boomed through the walls as if

she were an invisible 'God'.

"Did she set up a P.A. system?" Josh asked shaking his head

"Megan, you have 24 hours to…"

"She won't listen. Maybe you put that photo album in another drawer?"

"I gues---WAIT! Your annoying girlfriend was here yesterday! I bet she took it!"

"Mindy was here yesterday? She didn't tell me that at school this morning."

"Well, I'm going to her house to get my album back." Drake grabbed his jean jacket off

the sofa and breezed past his brother.

"Wait, Drake. I'll come with you!" Josh threw his soda can in the trash and almost

bumped square face first into the door as he tried to catch up to Drake.

"Maniac! You drive like a damn maniac!"

Where were the cops when you needed them? Josh thought as Drake ran up the stairs

to the Crenshaw's front porch and rang the doorbell.

Mindy saw the car made for fucking from the upstairs window and was glad like so

many others she was a latch key kid. Too bad Josh came along.

"Mindy! Where's my photo album?"

"What no 'hello', Drake?"

"You have five minutes before I go upstairs in your room and search for it myself."

"Drake, I'm sure that Mindy did not take your photo album. I tried telling him this all the

way to your house, but he wouldn't listen." Josh put his arm around his girlfriend and

kissed her on the cheek.

"Your photo album is not in my room." But the color-scanned copies of the pictures were

hidden in a place that Drake (and any other man for that matter) would never look. She

put them in her box of maxi pads that were on the floor of her closet. That would have

been like Kryptonite to Superman.

Mindy made the scans in the library office where she knew the assistant librarian.

"You think I'm going to take you for your word?"

Could he be any sexier yelling at her in his blue t-shirt and tight jeans?

"I'm sorry for all this." Josh bit his lip.

"Don't be. Go upstairs, Drake." She pointed to the stairs and with him going up first

she'd have a few seconds of enjoyment looking at his rear in the aforementioned tight

jeans.

After a minor search of checking her drawers and closet Drake sighed and realized that

maybe Mindy didn't take his photo album after all.

"See! I told you." Josh pointed out.

"I'm out of here. Do you want a ride home, Josh?"

"No. I'd like to spend some time with my lady."

"_You can't!_"

"Why not?"

"Because I have to study for a very important test tomorrow, Josh."

He was a little disappointed but he wanted to take a page out of the Drake Parker

handbook and be smooth.

"Okay, Mindy," He quickly kissed her on the lips, "I'll see you tomorrow at school."

"Bye."

There was no need to acknowledge anything. All three of them went to Belleview.

When Drake and Josh left her house Mindy took her copied pictures and placed them

on her desk. She could finally upload these on her computer and if she took her photo

from the junior awards banquet and his picture on stage at the Mega Dome performing

the guitar solo on _Devil's Paradise_ it would look like he was playing the guitar solo just

for her.

"Didn't you upload those pictures on your computer?" Josh asked when he and Drake

arrived back home and went upstairs in their bedroom to hang out before dinner. Well

Josh had homework to do and Josh rightly figured that Drake would be doing anything

but his homework.

"That's not the point. What the---?" Drake bent down and saw his dark red 5 X 7" sized

photo album sticking out from under the sofa.

"What?" Josh asked as he took his history book out of his backpack.

"My photo album. It was NOT under the sofa! That was one of the first places I looked."

"Maybe you are getting feeble?" Josh joked

"It had to be Megan."

"IT WASN'T ME YOU BOOB!" she called out from her P.A. system.

"Turn that OFF! Twenty-four hours!" Drake reminded her. He'd definitely go to his

parents with this. One of these days Megan was going to wind up in the juvie. He was

convinced of that.

His photo album was not under the sofa earlier which means when he and Josh left to

confront Mindy someone came into their room to put the album under the sofa to make it

look it look like it was there all along.

But who?


	3. Trivial Pursuits

**Chapter 3**

**Trivial Pursuits**

**Last Saturday of the month**

With Walter and Audrey seeing a play at the San Diego Civic Theater and Megan

hanging out with her Campfire Kids group at Pete's house for a sleepover was when

Mindy executed her plan. She and Josh were playing Trivial Pursuit in his and Drake's

room.

"I can't believe this." Drake's Barbie-of-the-Month complained to no one in particular as

she did the "I'm bored" slouched sitting pose on the sofa.

"Someone slashed my tires." Drake said punching numbers into his cell phone.

"Really? That sucks, Drake. It's probably the guy or guys that were mentioned in the

paper."

"Well you can always stay here and play Trivial Pursuit with us." Mindy offered

"Drake!" The bimbo complained

"Uh, I don't think that's going to happen."

"What's the matter? Are you chicken? I can mop the floor with

your brain."

"Bring it on, Creature." He stopped dialing the number for Triple A. Suddenly beating the

pretentious Mindy Crenshaw was more important then getting his slashed tires fixed.

"Drake!" His arm candy was getting annoyed.

"This will only take a second."

In reality it was taking an hour and a half and Drake had two pie pieces. From the

entertainment and sport and leisure categories. His date for the evening fell asleep with

her hand on her chin. She didn't seem so attractive in that position.

"Green for a pie piece." Josh announced

"I can see that Josh."

"You'll NEVER get this one Drake. Name the six noble gases from the chemical

series?" Mindy asked

"Helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, and radon."

Josh smiled before Drake said the answers. He knew he'd remember that for life once

it was embedded in his brain through a little _School House Rock_ form of studying.

"How do you know that Drake?" Mindy asked while she drank her iced tea. It was her

third one of the evening. Drake made her so nervous, but nervous in a good way. If

tonight went well she could go through the next stages of her plan.

"I'm not as stupid as you think."

"Josh would you get more pretzels?" Mindy asked. Maybe it was the salt from the

pretzels that was making her so thirsty but it didn't matter she just needed to get Josh

out of the room and Sleeping Bimbo on the sofa wasn't a concern.

"Sure, my lady."

She rolled her eyes. That was so embarrassing.

"So, Drake, when is your next gig?" Mindy nervously played with the remaining colored

plastic pie pieces that were in a Ziploc bag because Josh ruined the one that came with

the game when he spilled Mocha Cola on it.

"What do _you_ care, Mindy?"

"I-I don't. I just thought I'd ask to be polite. It's called conversation."

_Damn It._

"You don't think I like you do you? I just want to beat your ass in this game."

"But you like HER?" Mindy pointed

"Not really," Shit. He didn't mean to admit that out loud especially to Mindy of all people,

"That's not any of your business."

Drake stood up.

"You're leaving?"

"We'll have to continue this game later. Cindi's curfew is in fifteen minutes and we have

to walk home."

"She'll trip in those inappropriate heels."

Mindy sulked on the inside as Drake woke up his most recent girl d'jour. She

complained the whole time from Drake waking her up to them leaving the room. Mindy

really wanted to hurt her.

"Here's your pretzels." Josh said

"What? I'm not hungry anymore."

"What's with you? Oh no. Did you and Drake have a fight? Is that why he left?"

"No. We did not have a fight. He had to take the skank home. Josh, I was thinking,"

Mindy put her hand on the inside of his thigh it was the first real move she made since

she developed feelings for Drake. "Do you think I can come over to your house for

Sunday dinner?"

"I'm sure tomorrow---"

"No another Sunday. Maybe next month."

"Sure. I'm sorry I never invited you over. I didn't think that it was your thing. I mean you

really don't want to be grilled by my parents do you? And do you really want to sit at the

dinner table with Drake? That'd be a terrible situation for the both of you."

"I think it could be a nice afternoon spent with good people."

Was that too corny? She hoped that wasn't too corny. "Maybe, we can all go to a

restaurant. I can put it on my Dad's credit card and we can get all dressed up. Your

parents would like that."

"I don't think---we'll talk more about this later. Your curfew is creeping up as well and I

don't want your father to get mad at me. How about a kiss?"

Mindy stood up. "I need to use the bathroom. I'll meet you in the car."

Damn this night didn't go how she planned it at all.

When Josh left the room Mindy who really did have to use the facilities had to do

something that was more important at the moment and that was to write in Drake's little

black book that he kept by the phone.

She flipped to the section of blank pages that were in the back and took out her fine

pointed black ink pen and printed in her most basic 'it could be anyones' handwriting.

_Drake,_

_I can't get you out of my mind. I'm wondering if you felt the same way?_

_Signed,_

_Not Yet_

_P.S. Your butt looks f-i-n-e in those tight jeans._


	4. Pass the Pepper

**Chapter 4**

**Pass the Pepper**

**Next month-Sunday dinner**

It was raining as Josh paced in the kitchen. Drake said he would half-heartedly last

week over the pizza and root beer at two morning on a Saturday. Josh knew he wasn't

in it. But he did promise.

"Dad!" Josh called out when he saw his father walk in the living room to get the TV 

Guide

"What is it, Josh?"

"Where's Drake? Is he still sleeping! He promised!"

"Keep your pants on. I'm here." Drake yawned as Josh broke the speed of light to get to

him in the living room.

"You're NOT dressed yet!"

"Josh, relax, let Drake have his breakfast."

"Thanks, Dad." Drake gently pushed Josh out of his way.

"You are going to dress up right?" Josh asked nervously as Drake poured himself a

bowl of corn flakes.

"I guess you don't understand the meaning of the word 'relax'. Can you be any more

annoying this morning?"

"It's not morning anymore. It's five after twelve."

"Josh, don't worry. I will be there and do you doubt that I won't look good?"

"But—"

"You need to really chill out, man. I know your relationship with Mindy is important to you.

I don't bail on my promises. After all who took you to her house to get you two back

together? Me. This needs more sugar." Drake put another three tablespoonfuls in his

cereal bowl.

"But you don't like Mindy."

"I'm not the one that has to."

Josh took a relaxing deep breath it was his first one of the day.

"I more than like her Drake."

"I know this."

Josh smiled and decided to let Drake eat his breakfast in peace. Today was going to

be a wonderful day.

Mindy scored reservations at The Venetian. She was wearing her a sky blue dress

because she read in those teenage magazines that she despised that men liked

women in light colors.

"This was very nice of you Mindy." said Audrey

"Thank you, Mrs. Nichols."

She made sure to sit herself right between Drake and Josh. Megan watched Mindy who

thought no one else was paying attention moved the pepper shaker closer to Drake.

It was a pretty quiet dinner you couldn't really be yourself with your parents and little

sister at the table otherwise Josh really would have been flirting up a storm with his

girlfriend.

"Drake, would you please pass the pepper?" Mindy asked, she knew exactly what she

was doing.

She wasn't going to let him slide the shaker over she made sure to hold out her hand so

she could ever so briefly touch his fingers.

"Here." He hoped that was polite enough.

Drake wanted to leave to use the restroom to wash the Mindy germs off his hands but

figured the best thing he could do to get through this afternoon was to eat his lasagna in

peace.

He was certain he could get through this. It was only one afternoon.

Mindy liked the feel of the hot water on her hands as she washed her hand with the

generic orange antibacterial soap. She almost jumped to the light on the ceiling when

Megan walked in.

"Hey, Megan."

Megan checked to see if there were any feet in the two stalls next to the sink before she

continued.

"I know you're up to something."

"What are you talking about?" she laughed as she rubbed her hands under the air dryer.

"You want to play it that way. Fine. But know this. I'm the smartest one at that table."

"Oh—kay. I think you are watching too many episodes of Law & Order. I'm not up to

anything."

"Right. I think you should know that Dakota Wells is on my soccer team."

"So?"

"She somehow had a key to our house. She felt bad and told me some uptight high

school girl who always wears a pearl necklace gave her fifty bucks to steal and then

return Drake's Zero Gravity photo album. You are the only high school girl I've seen from

Belleview who wears a pearl necklace everyday. Shall I go on?"

Mindy brought her hand up to her neck to touch her necklace.

"Please do."

"I think you like Drake. I wasn't sure until I saw your little actions regarding the pepper

shaker."

"I'm going steady with Josh."

"Yeah, whatever. We can talk about this all day. Know this, Mindy. I will be watching your

back. If you do anything to hurt either of my brothers there will be Hell to pay." Megan left

the restroom before Mindy could respond.

"_No, Megan,"_ Mindy pulled at her necklace and almost broke the strand, _"If you get in _

_my way there will be Hell to pay."_


	5. The Turning Point

**Chapter 5**

**The Turning Point**

**2 Days later—Evening**

It was Tuesday and Josh didn't have to work tonight at the Premiere. Mindy and Josh

were in the kitchen studying for their history test. Megan walked in to get a bottle of juice

out of the refrigerator. They were holding hands and doing the 'google-eyes in love'

routine.

"Megan, would you get out of here? We're trying to study." said Josh.

"It doesn't look like you are studying to me."

"It's all right, Josh," Mindy spoke in a softer raspy tone than usual, "You don't want to

waste your time getting upset."

Mindy was setting up for a game of verbal tennis with Megan. The younger girl thought

for a moment on how to handle the situation. Rather than give Mindy the sport that she

wanted she just decided to drop the ball and leave the room.

"See ya!"

She wasn't about to tell her that Drake and his band had a gig tonight, because Megan

was certain that Mindy knew of that. Just like how he always enters through the

backdoor and not the front after a show. It was no coincidence that they were in that

kitchen.

"Megan is so annoying." Mindy put her voice to a whisper.

"I know, but despite her prankster ways and general nosiness, she's a really good

sister. Just don't tell her I said that. Now where were we?"

"It's ten forty five." Mindy looked at her heavy-duty waterproof multifunction sports watch.

"Don't remind me." He leaned to kiss her, she accepted.

Mindy put her hand on Josh's cheek. "You didn't let me finish."

"Sorry. Would you like a refill on your soda?"

"Yeah. I'm going to miss curfew tonight. Chances are my parents fell asleep reading

their novels from the book-of-the-month club."

"Aren't you afraid you'll be grounded?"

"Nope. Besides, this test is very important. It counts for half of our grade."

"You'll get an 'A' you always do." Josh put the cap back on the two-liter bottle of Mocha

Cola.

"Megan aside, it's nice to have the place to ourselves."

Mindy stood up to stretch her legs and to casually look out of the window above the sink.

"Dad's doing the eleven o'clock weather to fill in for the evening guy. It won't be like this

all the time and Mom is at the moonlight madness sale at Rutherford's and Drake is

never home on most nights. Not to mention my job at the Premiere."

"Who is the unlucky girl this time?"

"Danielle Warner. I wouldn't call her unlucky, I keep hoping that one of these days Drake

will find 'the one'."

"What's holding him back?" Mindy asked as she took small sips of her soda.

"Youth."

"You are the same age he is."

"Yeah, but I have true love," He put his arm around her and squeezed her, "Drake's not

looking for that."

Mindy put her glass down on the counter so she could put her arms around Josh.

"I'm the luckiest girl in the world."

"And I'm the luckiest guy in the world. Kiss?"

"You bet."

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1

"Eww," Drake entered and wish he came through the front door when he saw Josh

locking lips with the Creature from the Black Lagoon. "Get a room."

He put his guitar case against the wall.

"Oh, we didn't hear you come in, Drake." Josh nervously wiped his mouth for any traces

of lipstick.

"So I hear that Danielle Warner is your latest crush?"

"I'm not going to discuss my private life with you." Drake grabbed a mini carton of

chocolate milk out of refrigerator and quickly left the kitchen. He'd bring his guitar

upstairs later when he went to get his amp out of the car.

_Damn. He wouldn't bend one bit._

"Does he have to be so rude to me?" Mindy asked

"You can't expect Drake to like you. You never once apologized to him for what you did

to him and the whole Honor Council mess."

"Do you think I should? I mean if we're going steady there shouldn't be any bad blood

between me and your brother?"

"Knowing Drake, he won't accept your apologies. Let me talk to him. I'll see what I can

do. I do appreciate you, Mindy, for trying to make things right."

"Now what were we doing before your brother came along and ruined it?"

"We were kissing by the refrigerator."

"I say let's move that to the living room sofa, Cupcake."

"Now that is my kind of study session."

Mindy Crenshaw was the most amazing woman he has ever known this side of Oprah.

**Next morning**

It was unbelievable how Drake could sleep all through the alarm clock going off, Josh

getting dressed, and their mother shouting "get up" when she walked by their room.

"Drake! Wake up!" Josh threw a pillow at his face.

"H-hey. I am up."

"I want to talk to you."

"Can it wait?" he climbed out of his bed

"Yeah." Josh put his head down and focused on putting his red binder in his backpack.

Drake could tell that something of _importance _was bugging Josh so he did his best to

ignore the fact that he had to pee.

"What's bothering you, Josh?"

"You're going to get mad and I hate it when you get angry."

"What is it?" Drake decided to sit on the sofa.

"Promise me you won't get mad."

"I promise. Just tell me."

"Mindy wants to apologize to you for things she did."

"Tell her it's not necessary."

"Because we're going steady she thinks it is."

"Don't worry about it, Josh. I'll take care of it." Drake gave Josh no time to respond as

he sped out of the room.

Today was the turning point. Mindy couldn't keep a journal online or in old-fashioned

book form. Things like that only left a trail and that was the last thing she needed as she

was sitting at one of the smaller tables in the Belleview High School library. She was

supposed to be writing her report on the effect MTV had on adolescents, but all she

could think about was Drake. Josh followed the rules. Yeah he had an earring, but in the

past ten years a lot of kids started wearing them it wasn't rebellious anymore. Josh was

the designated driver in the party of life. It was only a matter of time before Drake went

to the tattoo parlor to get the 'I heart Mindy' tat on one shoulder and an electric guitar

with blazing wings on the other.

They would be so grea---

"Hey! I want to talk to you."

"Wow," Mindy smacked her lips together, "Drake Parker is in the school library. They

don't have comic books here you know."

"You don't have to worry about me, okay? You love Josh and that's fine. We don't have

to be friends."

_Fuck._

"If that's how you feel."

"Bye."

Mindy's face flushed over with a milky anger despite getting a nice view of Drake's

bottom in his jeans as he walked away.

"I didn't want to do this," she whispered to herself closing her books with force, "It looks

like it's time to execute Plan B."

"You have a date with Drake Parker!" Mindy's ears perked up as she watched two

sweet tarts grab two encyclopedias probably only to copy from them and not use them

for the intended reference volumes that they were.

"Yeah—he doesn't keep a girlfriend long, Olivia."

"Tina--"

"Danielle Warner is in my English class and she's heartbroken that he…."

"Give Drake some slack. He doesn't want to be tied down to one girl. I can't say that I

blame him. I don't want to be tied down by one guy. We're all in high school. Just go out

with him as a friend. When I told him that he was relieved and that's why we're still

friends since ninth grade. Not that we don't occasionally make out. Accept that and

you'll be fine."

_Imbeciles. You're all imbeciles._

_Once Drake touches my lips he won't want ANY of you bimbos ever again._

And Mindy Crenshaw was sure of that.

Author's Note: Thanks NovMists ;)


	6. The New Girl

**Chapter 6**

**The New Girl**

**One month later—lunch time**

"Josh! Did you see the new girl Rhoda Simmons? She is soooo totally hot!" Drake went

on to describe her long and lush blonde hair, more than ample breasts, sparkling eyes,

and well toned legs.

_She was the most beautiful woman that he ever saw._

And although he has thought and said that line many, many times before this was the

first time he might have actually meant it.

"You've said this before." Josh replied matter-of-factly as he stirred his blueberry yogurt.

"She won't give me--ME! The time of day. I mean come on. I cancelled my date with

Tina just to ask her out and she said 'no', but with a little sneaky grin and turn of her

heels. I know the game and she's driving me crazy." He pushed away his sandwich he

couldn't finish it, he was too excited to eat.

"Drake, Mindy transferred to Marian Catholic and is suddenly too busy to spend time

with me so pardon me if I don't get excited about a girl that once you 'catch' her you are

only going to dump when you get bored. I'm sorry that I can't be happy about that."

"I'm not looking for 'the one'. Maybe you wouldn't be so miserable Josh if you went out

with different girls? I know that you love Mindy, but in my opinion there are better options

for you than that Creature Mindy Crenshaw."

"You said you don't like half of the girls you ever dated!"

"Ssh! Keep your voice down. Need I remind you we're in a school cafeteria?"

"And you have a rep to protect, right? Drake, there are many things I admire about you,

but this part of you I am not jealous of one bit. There's such a thing as quality over

quantity." Josh left with his empty tray before Drake could respond.

"Hi, Drake." Rhoda waved as she walked by.

Drake left his garbage on the lunch table and ran to catch up to the mysterious new girl.

"Hi, Rhoda. Where are you going in such a hurry?" He looked at his watch, "We have

fifteen minutes left."

"Drake Parker! Throw away your trash or I will send you to the Principal."

Ugh. Mrs. Hafer. She had the worst timing ever.

"Looks like you are going to be busy. Bye, Drake."

"You know you have lousy timing, Mrs. Hafer."

"I hate you."

"I know."

By the time Drake went back to his table and disposed of his garbage he couldn't find

Rhoda anywhere. They had no classes together. He would have to wait for three long

hours to catch her by her locker, which was conveniently across from Josh's, and they

shared last period together. It was an art class elective which wasn't bad for the end of

the day.

"I can't believe you can't shut up about Rhoda today after what I told you at lunch today."

Josh put the books he didn't need to take home in a neat little stack on his locker

organizer shelves that he got at the mall.

"Just accept the fact that we're two different people, Josh. And I don't want to hurt

Rhoda. Just so you know. It's not like I set out to hurt anyone."

"Yeah. Drake do we have to fight?"

"Who's fighting with you?" Drake grabbed onto his brother's arm.

"Here comes Rhoda. How does my hair look?"

Josh didn't know what came over him, but he took his hand and tousled Drake's hair.

"Fine."

"Remind me to get mad at you later," Drake smoothed his hair down with his hands and

made the transition to Rhoda's locker. She was a recent transfer from Clairemont High

or an Angel sent from Heaven. Drake wasn't sure which.

"Hey."

"Hi, Drake," Rhoda put what she didn't need into her locker and closed the door with a

purpose, "I'm sorry I can't stay and chat. Maybe later."

She put her backpack over her shoulder and spun around like the rest of the female

crowd. It was driving him absolutely bonkers.

Rhoda smiled despite the pain coming from the dressy slip on mules and continued to

walk until she was out of the door and into the fresh air and into an air conditioned car.

"How was your day in school, Rhoda?" asked an older female about mid thirties with

wavy brunette hair.

"I can't wait to take this horrible make up and SKIN off," she looked at her face in the

rear view mirror, "I can't believe he finds this attractive! I just wanted to be myself. I hate

that mousy faux Southern voice. The dye from the salon almost burned my scalp and my

toes hurt from these stupid shoes. Along with these itchy hair extensions and these

fashion tinted contact lenses are killing me."

"You are doing an awful lot of complaining."

"I'm sorry, Gigi. I couldn't do this without my big sister's help and I do appreciate it. I'm

just going to tease Drake a little while longer before I accept his offer to go out on a

date."

"You're welcome. I can get you more supplies from the theater workshop."

"Good."

"You really like this Drake Parker." Gigi liked the photos that her sister emailed her last

week. He was a stunner.

"Yeah. I never realized it before. Josh is a nothing compared to him. It's so ironic—Josh

loves the real me, but Drake can't stand me," She started to cry, "I just wanted to be

myself. Drake's going to hate me more once he finds out and don't get me started on

Meg----"

"Woah! Little sister—think, honey, think. Don't tell him. Take your new identity to places

the old one holds you back. Honesty all the time is a severely overrated concept."

"Rhoda Simmons taken from my favorite element Rhodium and the street we used to

live on in Los Angeles. I suppose that's a better persona than Mindy Crenshaw."

Gigi held her younger sister's knee, "There you go. Do you want to stop for some pizza

once you take all the Rhoda off?"

There was a Marian Catholic High School uniform in a garment bag in the trunk.

"I'm not hungry now. Maybe later. At any cost no matter how long it takes, I just want

Drake Parker to love me, but most importantly I wanted him to love the real me."

"It'll work out honey. After you take your shower just take a long nap. You'll feel better

when you wake up."

Rhoda/Mindy cried all the way home. All she wanted was for Josh to stop loving her and

for Drake to start.

_At any cost._


	7. DP Plus RS Part One

**Chapter 7**

**D.P. + R.S. **

**Part One**

**Three weeks later**

Josh lay on his bed and checked the messages on his cell phone. Zero. The last time

he had talked to Mindy who gave the ubiquitous "I need some space" line and followed

the equally so "it's not you, it's me" hurt his very core. He was supposed to be working

on his latest entry in the science fair. He and Mindy were supposed to be co-project

partners but her transfer to Marian Catholic changed that. Maybe, she met someone

else and didn't have the guts to tell him?

Nah. Mindy was never afraid to voice her opinions. Josh let his phone fall to the floor.

He'd have asked Drake for his advice but instead of working on a guitar riff idea he

had, he just sat in his own bed, his red Fender strat strapped over his body, and clearly

daydreaming. A slight smile on his face meant that he was still enthralled over Rhoda

Simmons. He must have some _deep_ feelings for her because he hasn't dated anyone

else for awhile even though Rhoda was still playing hard to get.

"Drake!" Josh shouted

"What?"

"Do you want to go to the Premiere? Free movies."

"I don't---no, yeah, let's go. What are the odds of Rhoda being there?"

"Man, you have it bad for her and you two aren't even going out."

"Yet, Josh. You forgot to add the 'yet'. I want to change into a better shirt."

"Why is Rhoda so important to you?" Those really weren't the words that Josh Nichols

wanted to say to his brother. Because he knew it was just a game of cat and mouse with

Drake and Rhoda or Tina or Danielle or anyone else. He was just attracted to Rhoda

more so than the others. What Josh and Mindy had was a real, true, and deep love

something that his brother could never grasp the concept of because he was always

content with playing the field.

Mindy was apparently bailing and that was breaking Josh's heart although no one in this

house (even his dad) noticed. He supposed it was because they had a "young love" and

a lot of adults think it is without merit due to their adolescent ages.

She couldn't even give a Josh a definite answer on when she would be done "needing

her space"; it was an obvious dump even if it was in shades of gray and not in stark

black and white terms.

"I don't know. Why is the sky blue?" Drake settled on a denim button down shirt and his

black blazer.

_Just in case._

"I'll start the car."

"No, we'll take my car."

Walter's handed down to Josh silver colored Honda sedan was not an option for Drake.

"No, I'll drive my car."

"Whatever." The last thing that Josh wanted was to fight with his brother.

Besides Josh Nichols would rather been seen in the passenger side of a kick-ass

Corvette than in the driver's seat of a sensible Honda Civic.

Did everyone think that he actually wanted to be a nerd?

This was NOT the night to be seen. Mindy went to the Premiere because that and the

Pacific View Mall was where most of the teenage population of San Diego hung out.

She needed to be seen as in other people mentioning it around the Belleview halls

"guess who was at the Premiere?" but it was not the night to be seen by ex-boyfriend

Josh and especially when he was accompanied by Drake who was obviously dressed

up just incase Rhoda happened to be at the cinema. It was Josh's night off which was

why she was here. She wanted to bolt out of her chair and go up Drake in her own skin.

_If only…_

It was no surprise that as soon as Josh saw her he was going to go up to her. The only

thing that made her happy was seeing Drake in line trying to ignore some girl in a

Belleview High cheerleading uniform who was 'chatting him up'.

"Hello, Mindy."

"Josh." She drank her root beer.

"What's up?"

"Look," The skullcap and wig styled in the traditional Mindy cut were giving her a

headache, "I think it's best that we just be friends."

_I hope you don't cry._

_Drake, you look so handsome._

"Why? I thought we were going good."

"I don't want to go out with you anymore. I don't hate you. Please accept this and

whatever you do don't cry. Be a man, Josh."

"Who are you to decide who ends this relationship?"

"Goodbye." Mindy stood up, "I'm sorry, Josh."

_I love Drake. Not you._

"Fine." He wasn't going to cry and give her the satisfaction, "Drake's waiting for me."

And with that she was rid of Josh Nichols. Mindy hoped that he wouldn't cry, because

Drake did love his brother and she didn't want him to hate her more than he already did.

When Drake and Josh went out of sight was when she ran out of the theater and

whipped out her cell phone.

"Hello Gigi, it's your sister—I need your help."

The night may have been over for Mindy, but it was just beginning for Rhoda.

_To be continued…_


	8. DP Plus RS Part Two

**Chapter 8**

**DP + RS **

**Part Two**

**Same evening as previous chapter**

Georgia Iris Crenshaw was born in the early seventies to Thomas Jayne Crenshaw who

was quite a well known in science circles as an award winning scientist and wife

number one the kooky artist Savi Blake who never did take to the academia crowd and

rather liked lounging in the back of the room at the most stale boring parties ever and

smoke a cigarette from one of those old-fashioned long holders and go home to paint

parodies of the ever polite wives who were too smart to be domestic but too dumb to

have no vision. Whereas Mindy was born to fourth wife Constance Smith who was an

ophthalmologist and Mr. Crenshaw was one of her patients. Both girls were certain that

there were more siblings and Gigi had vague memories about her mother's flowy

caftans fitting tighter than normal before she was sent to juvenile hall for threatening to

blow up her math teacher's car before a few outcasts made it the "in thing" to do in the

late nineties. Mindy always felt that she was half of a missing twin but there was no real

proof of that and neither she or her sister could find anything on their snooping

weekends when anyone labeled 'parental' was out of town.

They were at a nearby motel as Gigi helped her sister transform into the perky All-

American girl.

"Mindy, --scratch that, I'm going to start calling you Rhoda—stop shaking."

"I—I don't know what movie Drake went in."

"Relax. I haven't lost my edge and neither have my ex-juvie friends we're all helping you

on this. The answer is simple."

"Gigi, do you care to share with me? Oh no! Not the smoky eye…I frigging hate that

look." Mindy commented when she saw her sister grab her expensive French eye

shadow compact.

"We'll page him. I'll use the natural colors and tone it down. Stay focused or you'll lose

him. Take a deep breath. Oh and by the way did you try out for cheerleader yet? My boy

Marcus has found some great yearbook photos that we can manipulate in Photoshop."

"I don't like being a pet project."

"No offense, honey, but you'd be lost without us and our theater workshop of goodies

that make Rhoda a reality."

"I'm sorry. I can't page Drake. I have to accidentally bump into him…"

"I KNOW THIS." Signs of her sister's famous temper rose to the surface, "Just relax,

okay? Since Dakota Wells is a spineless little twerp who is lucky that I didn't slash more

than her bicycle tires. Marcus has a cousin who goes to Megan's school who should be

at the Parker house now. She'll have Drake paged by pretending to be Megan…"

"That won't work…I miss my pearl necklace from Grandma."

"Talk in the VOICE. And you have to stop worrying about _trivial_ things."

Mindy coughed and spoke in the soft mousy faux Southern tone that she despised.

"That won't work. Megan is smart. She'll know Marcus' cousin placed the call."

"There's always an alternative plan. I'll take care of that while you finish your lipstick…

wear non-abrasive colors."

"Thanks, Gigi. I know I'm a pain in the ass."

"No. You're just in love and we're all here to make sure you and Drake get together. So

Rhoda, I want you to leave your worries behind."

Mi---Rhoda used a skinny lipbrush to apply 'subtle pink dream #9' to her lips making

them plump and sensual.

She hated the purple silk camisole top but was glad to team it up with a pink v-neck

button down cardigan sweater. The skirt was gray and in the trendy ruffled layers and

Rhoda never thought she'd be happy to be wearing purple flip-flop sandals. The next

step was the perfume and Gigi brought a whole department store in her traincase.

Rhoda picked the one that smelled like granny smith apples because she was hungry.

"Okay, let's see."

Rhoda spun around in the chair.

"You look so good. I'm almost tempted to do you."

"Gigi, that's disgusting."

"It's a joke. You really should lighten up. It's all taken care of. If you are going to catch

Drake in the lobby we better get a move on."

"What about your stuff?"

"I paid for the whole night, Rhoda, since we're going to come back here and all…."

"OH NO! What if Drake wants to take me home?"

"We'll discuss that on the way. Now tell me your name."

"Rhoda Simmons."

"OOH, you're getting better putting that sashay into your walk. Don't forget your purse."

"A Chanel?"

"Only the best for you. Oh, I forgot the most important thing. If Drake wants to buy you a

pizza or whatever---Get the salad and a diet sod—or better yet a water. Eat ladylike."

"Check."

"Oh and forget your school knowledge. Rhoda doesn't know those things, she's just a

girl—_you're just a girl_."

"Who is going to get Drake Parker before the night is out."

"That's my girl! I missed being bad M-Rhoda. This has the potential to go very well

indeed." Gigi blew a bubble with her Carefree Sugarless bubblegum as she dropped

her sister off at the Premiere to get her Prince.

Drake's mood went from pissed over Megan crank paging him at the Premiere to a

state of bliss when he saw Rhoda on the payphone. Gigi recommded using a prop it

always added a deminsion.

"Rhoda? Hi."

Rhoda said goodbye to the non-existant person on the other line and hung up.

"Hello, Drake. I didn't know that you'd be here tonight."

"Me and Josh are seeing a movie."

"Oh, then I guess I should go, I don't want to ruin---"

"You're not ruining anything. Would you like to go out for a drive?"

"S," She started to say, but then stopped, "What about your brother?"

"He knows the way home."

"Yes, I would then."

He opened the door for her. "Great."

Drake hoped he wasn't smiling too much, but this woman was waking up parts in him

that he didn't even knew existed.

"I do have bad news though." she put the extra pout in her voice like Gigi taught her.

"What is it?" Drake asked as they walked to his Corvette.

"I can only stay out for two hours. My sister is picking me up at the Premiere."

"Well, I promise you, it'll be the best two hours of your life."

"And yours too, Drake."

He opened up the car door for her, "You have a pretty smile." He whispered in her

ear.

"Thank you," Rhoda shyly put her hand on Drake's knee and then quickly removed

it, "You're too sweet."

Drake smiled as he put the key into the ignition never fully realizing how empty and

hollow his social life was until tonight.

Rhoda was beginning to make all of the difference.


	9. Meeting Megan

**Chapter 9**

**Meeting Megan**

**Three weeks later**

Drake surprised everyone in the family by getting a part-time job at Baskin-

Robbins. He wanted to save up money to buy Rhoda a special present. Drake was

surprised that his boss let him have his 'gig nights' off without any lecture. It was

probably due to the fact that the after the girls saw him play that lusty rock and roll on

stage they'd come to this location to see him and buy their ice-cream the next day.

Rhoda was not happy about this job choice. She was thrilled on the inside that

Drake was showing responsibility, but all those little tarted up skunk bags she could

do without. She hated the girls that threw themselves at him on the stage now he

was going to serve them their petite cones? This job was going to have to go, but

she didn't know how to make that happen. If that were the only problem facing her

and Drake's couple hood she'd consider herself lucky. But since her and Drake

have been going out for awhile, he thought she should meet his parents and have

dinner with them one evening. Walter and Audrey were easy strings to play. It was

the idea of meeting Megan that was tying her stomach in knots.

Rhoda rested her head on the passenger's side window. She had Drake pick her

up at the Premiere. How long could she use "the strict parents" excuse?

"Don't worry. Mom and Dad will like you. They liked Mindy, Josh's ex-_horrible _

girlfriend. You're more of a woman that she is." He kissed her on the cheek.

_Mindy equals Horrible_

"I just want to get this over with."

_I just want to be me. _

"It won't be bad, I promise. I know you told me you have extremely strict parents.

Mine are nothing like that."

Drake parked the car in the garage. Rhoda really wanted to uncover all the

falseness, but how would Drake react? He just called Mindy horrible not five

minutes ago. How she hated this lie. She wasn't as strong willed as Gigi was.

Mindy preferred books and getting good grades instead of being a juvenile

delinquent. How sad that her older sister and her ex-juvie friends missed the bad

old days of their youth and were able to get this plan off the ground for her. Mindy

wanted to be Mindy. The real smart girl who wore non-trendy and non-offensive

preppy clothes and loved to participate in the science fairs, it was this girl who

wanted to have Drake Parker on her arm.

Not some big, whiny, Oprah watching, video game playing, magic aficionado, and

klutz Josh Nichols.

"Your hands are cold." Drake said as he held Rhoda's hand as they walked into the

kitchen.

No one was happier than Audrey to see her son finally have a serious girlfriend and

one that he wanted to bring home to introduce to everyone. She thought this day

would never come. She and Walter wondered if that Drake would be bringing home

a much younger woman when he was forty announcing that he was going to settle

down with a girl whose named ended in 'i', who loved kittens, and wanted world

peace in the empty shelled beauty pageant question and answer way.

Mindy had no choice, but to put Rhoda out there first and foremost even if her

conscience kept reminding her daily of the romantic fraud this whole situation was.

"Hello, Mrs. Nichols." Technically on the door of her office and on the nameplate on

her desk it was the modern hyphenated Audrey Parker-Nichols, but there was no

need to correct the poor young girl who visibly nervous over meeting her boyfriends

parents.

"Hi, Rhoda." They shook hands. The poor girls hands were freezing.

"Do you need any help with dinner?"

"No. But Drake you can take the garbage out. Your father will be a little late coming

home from work."

He could've complained that it was Josh's turn, but he wanted everything to go well

that he didn't want to start anything.

"Fine. Rhoda, do you want anything to drink?"

"Yes, a water. If it's no trouble?"

"It's not any trouble. I'll meet you in the living room." Drake gave his girlfriend a quick

kiss on the lips as his mother's back was turned. He handed her a small bottle of

water before going out the papers and the trash.

"Are you sure you don't need any help, Mrs. Nichols?"

Audrey laughed, "I'm sure, dear." She replied getting the dishes out of the

cupboard.

It would be good to sit down as she hated walking in these wedge heels, which

might have 'stylish', or whoever said they were, but they were killing her feet.

"Miss me?" Drake came back, but with the kitchen dividers open it's not like he and

Rhoda could make out in the open.

"You know I did."

He put his arm around her.

"Your hands smell like strawberries."

"That's the dishwashing liquid."

When Audrey went into the master bedroom to change that was when Drake and

Rhoda were able to make out on the living room sofa.

"Hmm! Ah—em! He—llo!"

Drake felt a smack on the side of his head.

"Oh. Rhoda this is my sister…."

"I have a name you boob!"

"Megan."

_No handshake_

"Hey, Megan."

How thankful she was to see her walk into the kitchen and out the back door.

"Now where were we?"

"Making out on your living room sofa. Your mother is going to come back at any

minute."

"No she won't. It takes her forever to get ready."

This was the only part of the falsehood that she liked. This was the only way Drake

was going to love her. So Rhoda had to be even though she hoped there could

come a day where she could tell Drake the truth.

Mindy was not mentally unstable like her sister, she wanted to be normal in the

worst way. She didn't have to think about these things when Drake and her kissed.

Those moments made her feel _beautiful_.

"What's wrong with you?" Megan asked Josh when she locked up her bike for the

night in the garage. She knew Josh and Mindy were no longer a couple, but Josh at

that moment didn't look as much heartbroken as he did confused.

"I'm baffled."

"About what?"

"I guess I might as well tell you since Drake is all Rhoda-Rhoda-Rhoda. Three

weeks ago he left me alone at the movie theater and I had to walk home."

"Josh are you going to tell me what has you 'baffled'?"

"Yesterday I went to Marian Catholic on my lunch hour to surprise Mindy and see if

we could talk about getting back together. Since I can't get her on the phone or at

her house."

"Yeah…what did Mindy say?"

"Nothing. I didn't get to talk to her."

"Why not? Josh can you get to the point?"

"Marian Catholic has no record of Mindy Crenshaw. She lied to me. Maybe her

parents sent her away again? I'm going inside."

"Drake brought Rhoda over for dinner."

"Great. I don't want to see them making out. Where are they?"

"In the living room."

"I'll enter through the kitchen. Don't tell anyone what I told you."

"Don't worry, Josh."

Hmm. That was interesting.

**12:01 AM**

Megan Parker couldn't sleep. She almost agreed with Josh it was sickening seeing

Drake all googly-eyed and "in-love". Megan took a metal suitcase from under bed. It

had an 'I Heart Collecting Dolls' sticker on it. She opened the lock from the key she

kept in another box and took out a matching chrome colored cell phone.

"Voice mail. I get your voice mail. Hal, I need you to look up some records for me.

Crenshaw, Mindy and Simmons, Rhoda. Call me back on this and only this number.

Thanks."

If she didn't look after her brothers who would? Themselves? It was highly unlikely.

They were boobs who were both blinded by the women in their lives.

Megan put the phone back in its slot in the metal briefcase, locked it, and put it

back under her bed along with the key in her old barrettes box.

She went back in her bed, but she was unable to sleep. She took out her remote

control and decided to see what Drake and Josh were doing. Megan kept it on

mute and pressed the 'closed caption #1' button.

**Drake: Can I borrow one hundred dollars? **

**Josh: Why? Did you quit your little ice-cream job?**

**Drake: No. The sale at Rutherford's ends tomorrow and I get paid next **

**week. I want to buy Rhoda a watch. I promise I'll pay you back.**

**Josh: All right. Turn around I don't want you to see where I keep my money.**

**Drake: Okay. I'll pretend that I don't you know that you keep your money in **

**your officially licensed Oprah cookie jar.**

**Josh: You know---**

Megan got bored and turned the video off. Man, were they quite lame, but they were

her brothers and she didn't want anyone to hurt them or she would hurt them right

back.

She was going to get answers she never wanted to see either of her brother's cry

unless she was the one who caused it.


End file.
